ق ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيدِ
“Qaf By the Qur’an Al‑Majeed”.
The mention that follows is often about the Qur’an, the Kitab, or the Tanzeel (revelation).
فَذَكِّرْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ
“And remind by the Qur'an whoever fears My threat”.
Qaf: 45
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
“It is nothing but a reminder to the worlds”.
Sad: 87
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
“And it is nothing but a reminder for the worlds”.
Al‑Qalam: 52
وَعَجِبُوا أَن جَاءَهُم مُّنذِرٌ مِّنْهُمْ
“And they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves”.
Sad: 4
بَلْ عَجِبُوا أَن جَاءَهُم مُّنذِرٌ مِّنْهُمْ
“But they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves”.
Qaf: 2
الم (1) ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ
“Alif Laam Meem. This is the Book in which there is no doubt”.
Al‑Baqarah 1‑2
الم (1) اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ (2) نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ
“Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever‑Living, the Sustainer of existence. (2) He has sent down upon you the Book in truth, confirming what was before it”.
Aali ‘Imran 1‑3
ص ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ ذِي الذِّكْرِ
“Sad. By the Qur'an containing reminder”.
Sad: 1
الر ۚ تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْحَكِيمِ
“Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of Al‑Kitab Al‑Hakeem”.
Yunus: 1
الر ۚ تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ
“Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book”.
Yusuf: 1
المر ۚ تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ
“Alif, Lam, Meem, Ra. These are the verses of the Book”.
Ar‑Ra’d: 1
الر ۚ تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ وَقُرْآنٍ مُّبِينٍ
“Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur'an”.
Al‑Hijr: 1
الر ۚ كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ
Alif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that you might bring mankind out of darknesses into the light by permission of their Lord - to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.
Ibrahim: 1
طه (1) مَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآَنَ لِتَشْقَى
“Ta, Ha. (1) We have not sent down to you the Qur'an that you be distressed”.
Ta Ha: 1‑2
طسم (1) تِلْكَ آَيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ
“Ta, Seen, Meem. (1) These are the verses of the clear Book”.
Ash‑Shu’ara: 1‑2
طسم (1) تِلْكَ آَيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ
“Ta, Seen, Meem. (1) These are the verses of the clear Book”.
Al‑Qasas: 1‑2
حم (1) تَنْزِيلٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ (2) كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آَيَاتُهُ قُرْآَنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
“Ha, Meem. (1) [This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful - (2) A Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Qur'an for a people who know”.
Fussilat: 1‑3
حم (1) تَنْزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ
“Ha, Meem. (1) The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Knowing”.
Ghafir: 1‑2
الم (1) تَنْزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) [This is] the revelation of the Book about which there is no doubt from the Lord of the worlds”.
As‑Sajdah: 1‑2
In literature, oaths can testify, convince the doubtful, and grab attention by invoking something significant. Arabs would swear by grand or relevant things to establish credibility.
Allah swears by various things (e.g., the fig, olive, night, sky). Not because they are greater than Him, but to direct the mind and prepare you for what follows—using the sworn object as evidence and a witness to the statement that follows (per Hamiduddin Al‑Farahi). This approach works for many oaths, though not all.
Sometimes the Qur’an states an oath without explicitly mentioning the answer. In Surah Qaf, “By the Qur’an Al‑Majeed” is given, while the jawab is omitted.
Nouman Ali Khan’s suggestion: the omission is intentional to make the listener wonder and continue through the surah for clarity—a pedagogical device of the Qur’an.
وَالْعَصْرِ (1) إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ
“I swear by the time. No doubt the human is in loss”.
Al‑‘Asr: 1‑2
Here, “time” acts as evidence and witness for the human state of loss (per Al‑Farahi).
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ
“No doubt, the human is ungrateful to his Lord”.
Al‑‘Adiyaat (illustrative context as explained)
The loyal charge of raiding horses contrasts the human’s ingratitude—an evidence‑by‑contrast in the oath sequence.
بَلْ هُوَ قُرْآنٌ مَّجِيدٌ
“But indeed, this is a Qur’an Majeed”.
ذُو الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيدُ
“The possessor of the Throne, Al‑Majeed”.
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ
“And We have honoured the children of Adam”.
Al‑Israa’: 70
The description الْمَجِيد combines both Maajid (giver of dignity) and Mamjood (possessor of dignity): the Qur’an gives dignity and is itself dignified.
Despite constant abuse, mockery and ridicule faced by the Messenger ﷺ during recitation, the Qur’an never changed its stance. It remained dignified—contrary to human nature that reacts and lowers its tone under attack. This constancy is evidence of the truth of Allah and the truth of this revelation.
Believers who adopt Al‑Qur’an Al‑Majeed should maintain dignified responses in all circumstances, mirroring the Prophet ﷺ who personified its grace, majesty, and nobility.
Claims that the Qur’an is violent or degrading are answered by the very description: وَالْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيدِ and by the opening of Surah Ar‑Rahman:
الرَّحْمَنُ (1) عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآَنَ
“Ar‑Rahman. He taught Al‑Qur’an”.
بَلْ هُوَ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ فِي صُدُورِ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ
“Rather, it (the Qur'an) is clear ayat within the breasts of those who have been given knowledge”.
Al‑‘Ankabut: 49
For Allah, the Qur’an is not confined to print but is carried in the chests and hearts of believers.
Single letter ق grabs attention; immediately, an oath elevates the discourse and directs the mind to the Qur’an.
The object sworn by guides the audience, serving as a witness to what follows—here, the Majestic Qur’an itself.
The missing jawab compels the listener to continue; the surah unfolds prophethood and the ultimate return.